Former Shelby County Hospital CFO Guilty in EHR Incentive Case
Posted/updated on: November 14, 2014 at 3:39 pm
TYLER – The former chief financial officer of Shelby Regional Medical Center has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales Thursday. Joe White, 67, of Cameron, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Tyler to making a false statement. White appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.
According to federal prosecutors, White was the Chief Financial Officer for Shelby Regional Medical Center in Center, which was owned and operated by Dr. Tariq Mahmood. White oversaw the implementation of electronic health records for the hospital and was responsible for attesting to the meaningful use of electronic health records in order to qualify to receive incentive payments under Medicare’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program.
On Nov. 20, 2012, White knowingly made a false statement to Medicare falsely representing that the hospital was a meaningful user of electronic health records, when the hospital did not meet the meaningful use requirements. As a result, Shelby Regional Medical Center received $785,655 from Medicare. White was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 6, 2014. White faces up to five years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.
